This easy crispy spicy beef takes only 20 minutes to make! A dish that’s full of flavor and heat, keeping you wanting for more.
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When it comes to simple recipes, I’m always trying to see if there are ways to improve on or add variations to it. And there’s no better example than this particular dish.
Previously, I introduced this dish as the signature “chili oil beef stir fry”, which was the final part of my Recipes With Chili Oil Series. A 10-minute recipe that required only frying the beef and adding some chili oil to it.
But with this updated version, you’ll get to enjoy beef that’s deliciously crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. (And psst! This spicy indulgence is even more wonderful when paired with rice!). It leaves you salivating and wanting for more!
Spicy Crispy Beef
You start off by coating slices of beef in a simple mixture of baking soda, egg white and cornstarch, before shallow frying it for a few minutes. Once fried, cook the beef with your choice of chili oil, chili crisp, or sambal (chili paste).
I’ve tried making the dish with each of the chili condiment options, and every time it’s just as good!
Air Fryer Option
Yes, you can air fry the beef! After coating the beef slices in the simple cornstarch mixture, place the beef flat without overlapping and air fry at 375°F for 8-10 minutes.

Ingredients
- Strip steak/beef of choice (thinly sliced)
- Egg white
- Baking soda
- Corn starch
- Salt and pepper
- Onion (sliced)
- Chili oil/chili crisp/sambal: Adjust to preference.
- Green onion: For garnish.
(For full ingredient measurements, please proceed to the recipe card below.)
Instructions
- In a bowl, coat the thinly sliced beef with a pinch of salt and pepper, baking soda, egg white and cornstarch mixture and set aside.
- For shallow frying, pour in enough oil to cover the surface of the pan. Heat it up over medium heat and once hot enough, add the beef one at a time and let it cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Cook by batches and let the oil drain from the beef by placing it on a cooling rack or a paper towel (see notes for air frying instructions).
- In a clean pan, saute the onions over medium heat for a minute then add the chili oil/chili crisp/sambal. Let it cook for a minute before adding the beef. Coat the beef with the mixture.
- Serve with rice and garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
Notes for Easy Crispy Spicy Beef
- The amount of chili oil/chili crisp/sambal used should be up to preference.
- You can use store bought chili oil/chili crisp/sambal. I usually use my own homemade chili oil.
- You can deep fry/shallow fry/air fry the beef. For air frying, place the beef flat without overlapping and air fry at 375°F for 8-10 minutes.
- Depending on the chili oil/chili crisp/sambal that you use, you may want to season to taste. I sometimes add a pinch of sugar to round out the flavor.
*Recipe updated on 22nd October 2022
More Beef Recipes
- Beef Chow Fun (30 minutes)
- Spicy Fried Beef (Daging Goreng Berlada)
- Malaysian Chili Pan Noodles
- Malaysian Potato Meat Cakes (Bergedil)
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Easy Spicy Crispy Beef
Ingredients
- 1 lb strip steak/beef of choice thinly sliced
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3.5 tbsp corn starch
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 onion sliced
- 3 tbsp chili oil/chili crisp/sambal adjust to preference
- green onion for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, coat the thinly sliced beef with a pinch of salt and pepper, baking soda, egg white and cornstarch mixture and set aside.
- For shallow frying, pour in enough oil to cover the surface of the pan. Heat it up over medium heat and once hot enough, add the beef one at a time and let it cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Cook by batches and let the oil drain from the beef by placing it on a cooling rack or a paper towel (see notes for air frying instructions).
- In a clean pan, saute the onions over medium heat for a minute then add the chili oil/chili crisp/sambal. Let it cook for a minute before adding the beef. Coat the beef with the mixture.
- Serve with rice and garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
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